Unexpected Arrivals
by MyUsernameIsAlwaysTakenToo
Summary: Beckett gets an unexpected visit from Castle. And then Sophie shows up. Who the heck is Sophie? read and find out! But really guys, I think it's a good one! Give it a chance? Please? Also, some caskettey goodness.
1. What?

**Ok, so this little thing just popped into my head the other day, and I just HAD to get it out. So here it is. I hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: None of it's mine :"( Except Sophie. I made her up. So She's mine. But everything else belongs to its rightful owner.**

**BUT, if it DID own Castle, which i DON'T, but IF i did, this is what would happen:**

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><p>Unexpected Arrivals<p>

Chapter One

"What?"

(Bold/italic=Kate's thoughts. Bold/italic/underlined=Kate's thoughts, but arguing with herself.)

I looked at the chair to my left, even though I knew it was empty. He had taken Alexis to the Hamptons for the week as a graduation gift.

"_**He's only been gone since Monday, only two days, but I m—**_

"_**Think Ryan and Esposito miss him?"**_

"_**Yeah. They look bored...Ok, so I'm the one who's bored, so what? That doesn't mean anything. Ugh."**_

"_**Ok. Focus."**_

"_**...I wonder what Cast-"**_

"_**No. Come on. You have a case! Focus Kate. Work."**_

"_**But Cast-"**_

"_**Work."**_

I finally turned my gaze back to the case at hand, trying desperately to focus.

"_Caucasian male. Twenty-one. Fell on a railroad track. BA content: drunk. Very drunk. Very very drunk."_

"Esposito!"

"Sup?"

"Why do we have this case? Guy got wasted, fell on the tracks."

"Dunno. Didn't put it there. Maybe it's somethin' Castle's lookin' at."

"_**There goes that whole "focus" idea..."**_

Since Castle wasn't there to bring me coffee, I got up to go get it myself. I turned around and bumped into something, then felt the burn of hot coffee soaking through my shirt.

"_**Well. This is familiar."**_

I rolled my eyes and looked up to start yelling at whoever so obviously needed to learn to walk, and, let's face it, it'd been a long, boring day and I was cranky.

"CASTLE?"

I stood there, more shocked by who was standing in front of me than the fact that he'd managed to spill coffee on me. AGAIN.

"What, uh...What are you doin' here Castle?"

I tried to sound casual, annoyed even, but he saw right through it. Of course.

"I missed you, too, Beckett! I brought coffee! But you're supposed to drink it, not spill it on your shirt..."

"_**Ugh. He is so adorab-"**_

"_**Annoying?"**_

"_**Yeah. That's it. Annoying."**_

"Yeah. So why are you here? I thought you weren't coming back until Saturday?"

"Counting down the days, Detective?"

"Yes. Yes, I was."

His jaw dropped at my confession, eyes widening. He looked like he wanted to say something, but just stood there like an idiot instead.

"I'm getting a new mattress Friday, and couldn't wait to use it without you asking to do the same."

"_**Yup, that ought to do it..."**_

He closed his mouth after a few seconds, looking dumbfounded.

"I, uh,...hmm, um..gah...um, what? Um, right, so, do we have a case?"

"Don't try to change the subject. Why are you back so early?"

"Oh, right. Alexis wasn't feeling well so she wanted to go home. I would normally stay with her but she said she was feeling much better now and just wanted to sleep. Now, about that case?"

"I wouldn't call it a 'case,' but we do have something."

We walked back to my desk, where I told him about the "case." We both agreed that it was an accident and filed it with the other accident reports. He got up and grabbed his coat, which was weird because he almost always waited for me to leave. I must have looked confused, because then he started talking.

"I'm just gonna grab some take out. I'll be right back. What are you in the mood for tonight?"

"Hmm...Chinese?"

That was all the answer he needed, he always knew just what to get. So, with that, he set out to our favorite Chinese place.

About 20 minutes later, he came back with seven or eight boxes of various Chinese food. For a while, we were quiet. I was on the computer looking for something interesting to do, and Castle was...

"_**Wait. Castle's staring at me. While I eat. Ew! That's creepy, even for Castle!"**_

"What?"

He was making me feel weird. Not quite self-conscious, but I sure was conscious of something...It was very uncomfortable.

"Huh? Oh, nothing. Just..."

"Well?"

"You look cute when you chew."

"_**Aww! He thinks I'm cute!"**_

"_**When you chew Kate. As in eating. That's not sweet, it's creepy. And kinda gross."**_

"_**But...It's Castle..."**_

"_**Castle, your partner. Your co-worker. Your consultant. Nothing more."**_

"_**But..."**_

"_**Nothing. More."**_

"That's really creepy, Castle. And kinda gross."

"_**Great, now he's upset. You could have been nicer about it."**_

"Look, Castle, I didn't mean...it's just...I'm just tired. It's been a long day."

"Apology accepted, Detective."

"_**Ooh. He just called you "Detective." And he was being serious. Ouch."**_

"_**Oh, shut up."**_

More silence. Of the awkward variety. Wonderful.

"Yo Beckett!"

I was so relieved when I heard Esposito call out. It finally broke the silence and the tension between Castle and me.

"You got somethin' Esposito?"

"Yeah, someone's here to see you."

"Well did they say who?"

"Nope. Said she needs to talk to Katherine Beckett. Sounds important."

"Um, ok, let her in."

I sighed from exasperation. It was late, and I wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone. Not to mention she had no reason to be there because we didn't have a case. I looked up to see a young girl, no more than 16 years old, standing in front of me. She was tall and thin. Too thin actually. She looked like she hadn't eaten in days. Castle whispered that she looks just like me, except with blue eyes. I didn't see it. She was very pretty though, considering how tired she looked. Something in her eyes looked so familiar, but I just couldn't place it.

"Hi. Are you Detective Kate Beckett?"

"Yes, how can I help you?"

"And your parents are Jim and Johanna Beckett?"

"_**That was unexpected..."**_

"How did you kno—I mean, is there something I can help you with?"

She looked nervous, and kind of sad. I probably would be too in that situation. But that fear in her eyes...That sorrow. I had seen it before. I knew I had. I just didn't know where.

"Yeah, um...I think I'm...um...actually, no, it's nothing. I'm sorry to have bothered you, Detective. I'm just gonna go."

She practically ran to the elevator, but had to wait for it to open.

"_**What? That's it? She comes in here, asks who my parents are, and doesn't even tell me her name? Really?"**_

"Wait!"

She turned around quickly, the elevator doors having just opened.

"Yeah?"

"You didn't mention your name."

"Oh. It's Sophie. Sophie Beckett."

I was too shocked to realize that she had gotten in the elevator and closed the doors. Castle was now standing by me, looking at me, then the elevator, then back at me. Finally we both spoke simultaneously.

"WHAT?"

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><p><strong>So did you love it? Hate it? Let me know!<strong>

**PS- this is completely un edited, no beta, etc. if you want to beta the rest, please let me know. and yes, there's more. **

**Also, literally the ONLY thing I can relate to in the ENTIRE story, was the part about being cranky after a long day. So i apologize in advance for any factual errors or if anything seems unrealistic.**

**And if its slightly/very OOC, in REALLY sorry. I tried.**

**Review?**


	2. Sophie

**So i know i didn't give any time for reviews/comments/ anyone to offer tp beta, but i think that this chapter helps develop it more, and in order to decide if you like it you have to at least have chapter two. but thats just my weird brain goin crazy. Hope you enjoy guys!**

**All regular disclaimers apply.**

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><p>I ran down the stairs and out of the precinct as fast as I could. I needed to catch up with her and find out who she is. Or who she THINKS she is anyway.<p>

"Sophie! Sophie, wait!"

I caught up to her just as she was stepping into a cab. She was crying...pretty close to sobbing, actually, but managed to answer me.

"Look, Detective, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have shown up. I just...never mind. I'm sorry. I have to go."

She kept wiping her tears in a futile attempt to compose herself.

"Sophie, I need you to tell me who you are, ok? Can you do that for me?"

I was trying to be gentle with her. She was emotional, after all, and I really didn't want to upset her. It was just kind of difficult to stay calm, given my state of mind at the time.

"I'm..."

She sighed. She was obviously afraid to tell me for some reason, but I couldn't see why.

"_**I'm not that scary, am I?"**_

"It's ok, you can tell me. I don't bite."

"I'm your sister, ok?"

"_**Whoa. Did NOT see that coming."**_

"Um...wow...ok...I'm just...I don't have a sister."

"_**Wow Kate. That was harsh. Look at her face. She's gonna start crying, you know. You better calm her down."**_

"_**I will..."**_

"_**Hurry."**_

"_**Ok, ok just relax!"**_

"_**Well? SAY SOMETHING!"**_

"I'm sorry. That was harsh. That's not what I meant. I just mean that...I was unaware that I had a sister..."

"_**Better call dad later..."**_

"Will you come back upstairs, please?"

That's when I first saw her smile. That smile...I figured out why she looked so familiar. She looked just like my mother.

…...

We went back to my desk, where Castle was waiting. One look from me told him all he needed to know: it's time to go home.

"Beckett!"

"_**Bad word choice..."**_

"Uh, Kate!

"_**That's better."**_

"Alexis called, she needs my help with something for school. Science project or something. See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow, Castle."

Once he left, Sophie got settled in his chair, and I sat in mine. I was about to start talking when she asked me the question I hate the most. The question that I always have to answer. The question that I never know how to answer: "Who was that?"

"Oh, Castle? He's my partner. Co-worker. We work together. So, uh, you're my sister, huh? How'd you figure that one out?"

"_**That sounded a little sarcastic."**_

"_**It wasn't meant to be."**_

"_**It sounded like it was."**_

"_**She didn't seem to notice. Now be quiet so I can listen."**_

"Well, when I was seven, my dad told me that I was adopted. After that, I was determined to meet my birth parents. It took a while of sneaking around the house when I was alone, but I finally found some paperwork. Well, it was less of "a while" and more like "three years." Anyway, all I found was something saying that my birth name was Sophie Beckett. I had always been Sophie, but they had given me their last name. Anyway, so I was ten when I found that. I only had a last name for my real parents. Just Beckett. So I kept searching. About four years ago, when I was twelve, I finally found a name, and the paper work to match. Jim and Johanna Beckett. I wanted to find out more about them, who they were, what they did, before I tried to find them. I started going to the library every day after school, and that's when I found out about Johanna. I'm really sorry about that, by the way. That must have been hell to go through. Anyway, by this time, I was about thirteen. I was really upset about what I had discovered, so I decided to take a break and stop looking. But when I was fourteen, I met some guy whose first name was Beckett, and that brought it all back. I started searching again, and remembered something from the article. I remembered she had a daughter, Katherine Beckett. I knew you were in New York, but I was only fourteen so there was nothing I could do about it. I got a job, saved up my money, and now here I am."

That was a lot of information for me to take in. Plus she gave it to me in about thirty seconds. But from what I could tell, she was being honest. She at least _thought_ she was telling the truth.

"_**You were 16 when she was born. You would have known."  
>"Unless they hid it from me..."<strong>_

"_**Seriously, just call dad later."**_

"You look just like her, you know."

"Who?"

"My mom...or, our mom, apparently. Sophie, do your parents know you're here?"

She sat silently for a moment, looking away, which told me her answer. But still, she quietly responded "No"

"_**Great, we have a run away on out hands, Kate."**_

"_**It's late, maybe we can call in the morning?"**_

"_**Or now. They're probably worried."**_

"_**Ugh. I hate it when I'm right."**_

"We need to call them so they know you're safe, ok?"

"Ok, but do you mind if I do it? They'll respond better to me."

"No, not at all. I'll get us some coffee."

I went to the break room and started brewing a pot of coffee. While I waited, I watched Sophie's end of the conversation. She wasn't crying, and she didn't look too upset, so that was a good sign. As I walked back to my desk, coffee in hand, I started talking again.

"What did your parents say?"

"Nothing. I left a message."

"Umm...ok, do you have a place to stay for the night? A hotel room, or..or a friend's house or something?"

"No, I was gonna find a hotel after I came here."

"Alright, then, you'll stay with me tonight. I'll get you home tomorrow. Let's go."

She looked a little cautious, but didn't object. When we got off of the elevator we found none other than Richard Castle walking over to us.

"Castle? I thought you went home an hour ago!"

"I did! I did! I promise! Well, actually I didn't. I got a donut. I was bringing you one! See? It even has sprinkles!"

"_**Aww it even has sprinkles!"**_

"_**No, no aww. Don't aww at him. He's just your partner."**_

"A donut, Castle? Really?"

"Well...yeah..."

"_**There's that boyish charm we all know and lo-"**_

"_**Know. That's it. That boyish charm that we all know."**_

"I see. Hey, Sophie, want a donut?"

"Actually, _Detective, _I brought one for Sophie too. In case she was hungry."

He pulled out a chocolate donut, also with sprinkles, and passed it to Sophie, who ate the whole thing in just a few bites.

"Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome. But please, call me "Mr. Castle." Or just "Castle," or even "Rick." Sir sounds too formal."

"Oh, _Sophie _can call you Rick? I see."

It was more of a challenge than a statement.

"Yes, in fact, I give _everyone_ that option, _Kate," _he said, taking a bite of the donut as if to prove his point.

"Hmm, well then, _Rick,_ would you mind stepping aside so we can get home? Please _**Rick**_?"

He all but choked on the donut at my last question.

"We?"

"Yes, _Rick, _we. Me..."

I stepped forward and took a bite of the donut he was holding,and whispered in his ear.

"...and Sophie."

I stepped back and looked at Sophie, who was VERY amused.

"Come on, let's go."

As we left, I heard Castle quietly whisper "Is it hot out here?" before I closed the door and drove off.

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><p><strong>So i think that's it for now. It's like 1 AM and i'm tired. too tired to write anything funny here. honestly i can barely see right now. so i hoope you liked it, please review. Love you forever.<strong>


	3. What Happened?

**Here it is guys! chapter 3! yay! **

**Thanks for reviewing/foriting/subscribing! reallly means a lot!**

**Also, to PsychoticSax- thank you! and i know it is kind of OOC, but sometimes its the only was for me to get a certian point across...also, its not reallyl supposed to be MPD, but thats how it turned out i guess! Its suppoed to be the "sensible" side of Kate vs the side that wants to be with castle lol. i THINK you'll kind of figure it out in the end of the story. :) or I at least hope you do. that goes for everyone by the way!**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>"Now I know what you meant when you said he was your 'partner'," Sophie giggled.<p>

"_**Now she even sounds like mom!"**_

"_**Yeah, and she just called Castle your boyfriend..."**_

"What? No! No. No no no. Ha! NO. Unh-uh! Nope. No no no no no. Noooo. ….no!"

"_**Really? Could you have been MORE obvious?"**_

"Wow Kate. Fifteen "no.'s"? Seems to me like you're trying to convince yourself more than me..."

She giggled again, this time more. And louder.

"He's your boooyyyyfriiaaannnd!"

"Castle is NOT my 'boyyyfriaannd'!"

I laughed, not because she was acting immature, but, well, it was funny. Sophie was still giggling, with a twinkle in her eye. And that's when the singing started.

"You _loooveee_ him, you want to _huuuggg_ him, you want to _kiiiiissss _him and be his _girlfriend, _because you _looovvee _him._"_

That went on for about two more verses, until we got to my door. We were both laughing the entire ride home. When we calmed down, I realized that not only was she having fun, but she was acting like a sister. And I was completely comfortable with that, so I smiled at her,and even thought she returned that smile, her eyes showed pain.

…..

As soon as I opened the door Sophie ran to the couch and sat down, while I went to the fridge.

"Can I get you anything?"

"Do you have waffles? I would LOVE some waffles. Or maybe some bacon. Actually, no. Just waffles if you have them!"

"Umm...Yes!"

I triumphantly pulled some frozen waffles out of the freezer. Usually my house was pretty empty when it came to food, but Castle had come over last weekend. He had decided to go grocery shopping for me, and since I was almost never home, I still had a lot of food.

"_**Guess it came in handy, huh?"**_

"How many do you want?"

"Two, to start, please."

She could be so fun and informal one minute, and then turn around and be so grown up and polite the next. It actually reminded me of myself at her age. I popped the waffles in the toaster and grabbed a bottle of water for myself, and one for Sophie. She took a sip, but then started picking at the label, which I knew to be a nervous habit.

"You ok?"

"Yeah. Fine," she answered softly.

"_**You're not falling for that are you? There's obviously something wrong."**_

The waffles were finished, and Sophie didn't waste any time on them. She was done in about two minutes. Or less.

"Jeez, when's the last time you ate? You look like Castle after he skipped breakfast. Only less whiny."

She looked nervous again, like she had at the precinct. She got up and cleared her plate before answering.

"Breakfast."

"_**That's not too bad..."**_

"On Monday."

"_**Ok, that's pretty bad..."**_

I made sure she had enough to eat, and then gave her some of my old P.J.'s to change into after her shower. She was curled up on the couch, reading a book that she found, while I was on my computer. Sometimes I would look through news headlines from across the country, just to see what was going on out there. Then something caught my eye...

"Hey Sophie?"

"Yeah? What's up?"

"Oh, nothing much. I was just wondering where you live."

"Oh. Well, I lived in New york until I was seven, and then we moved to Washington."

"Ok."

"_**That's what I thought."**_

"_**But just because she lives in Washington doesn't mean anything."**_

"_**Look at the picture."**_

And there it was, a picture of Sophie, when she was about five or six, standing between her parents. Then it got worse. The headline read: "Washington man found dead in home, daughter still missing."

It said that Alan Friend died Monday morning from a clot in his brain, and his sixteen year old daughter was still unaccounted for.

"What are your adoptive parent's names?"

"Alan and Alyssa Friend, why?"

"_**I was hoping you wouldn't ask that..."**_

"Well...Honey, I don't know how to tell you this, which is weird considering all the practice I've had and-"

"Kate?"

"Oh, right. I'm sorry, sweetie, but...your dad died on Monday morning."

She stared at me blankly for about a minute before saying the words I least expected to come out of her mouth: "I know."

…..

"What do you mean "I know."? How could you possibly know?"

I was so surprised that I didn't even notice that I had raised my voice a little.

"I just...I just did, ok!"

"_**Did she just yell at me? I think she just yelled at me!"**_

"There's no need to yell, Sophie."

"Well you did! And why shouldn't I? Huh? Why shouldn't I yell?"

"Sophie, just relax. I'm not yelling, see? I'm just talking."

I put my hand in front of me, like I was telling her to stop, and stepped closer to her. As soon as I did, she flinched, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. I knew the look on her face. I had seen it countless time. Anybody who saw her face at that moment would know what it meant.

"Sophie. Sophie, it's ok. Open your eyes."

She slowly opened her eyes, and slightly relaxed when she saw me lower my hand. She had started crying, just a little, but just enough for me to know that she was scared.

"Did he hit you?"

All she did was nod. Those four little words opened the floodgates, and she started sobbing as she fell in to my arms. I was a little hesitant, because abused children don't usually like to be touched, but I held her close and let her cry, because that was all I could do to help.

…..

I made some tea after she had calmed down, and we sat together on the couch. We were quiet for a while, but eventually I needed her to talk to me.

"What happened to you, honey?"

"Where should I start?"

"The beginning."

"We were happy once. We were a normal family. We went to the beach. To the park. I went to school. My parents worked. But then my mom got sick. I was only six, but I knew it was bad. Cancer. She fought hard. She fought until a week after my seventh birthday. She was just too weak. My dad couldn't stand to be in the house anymore, so we moved to Washington. I knew something was different about my dad. He had gotten angry. He was always angry. One day, I walked in from school, and as I turned around to shut the door I knocked a picture over. He yelled. Called me names. And then...and then he slapped me. He slapped me in the face so hard that I fell over. "GET UP!" he yelled. "STOP CRYING!" But I didn't. I didn't get up. I didn't stop crying. So he hit me again. This time with his fist. After that he locked me in the basement for a full day. He said I needed to learn my lesson. I told him I had, so he slapped me and sent me to my room. The next time, after he hit me, he said "We never should have taken you. We should have left you with your real mother." That's when I went through all of that stuff trying to find my birth parents. When I got a job, and started saving my money, I also started taking karate classes. I was tire of being pushed around."

She stopped to take a sip of her tea and wipe away a couple of tears. I slowly put my hand on her knee, attempting to comfort her. She held my hand and continued.

"Anyways, that was a few years ago. I've gotten really good at defending myself. Monday morning, I made breakfast for the two of us. By the time he got to it, it had gotten cold. He got mad. So he uh...pushed me down, and kicked my side. See?"

She raised the hem of her shirt to expose her swollen and bruised ribcage.

"He went in for another kick, but I grabbed his leg and flipped him over. We got up at the same time, and he swung at me again, but I blocked it. I punched him and he...fell..I...I didn't..."

She was crying harder now, and having trouble finishing her sentences. I moved closer to her and put my arm around her shoulders.

"It's ok. Take your time."

I was trying to be supportive and helpful but this was all new to me. I've never had to take care of anyone like this before. I've never been a mother, and up until four hours ago, I had been an only child.

"I didn't mean to hurt him so badly. I just wanted him to stop. But he fell, and he wouldn't get up. He wouldn't wake up. I couldn't find a pulse. I killed him."

The poor thing started bawling, trying to get out more words.

"I killed my dad, Kate!"

She buried her head in my shoulder while she cried, just like before.

"Shh. Shh, it's ok. You didn't kill him sweetie. It's ok. It's not your fault. He had a blood clot in his brain. It wasn't you fault."

She mumbled a response, but kept crying. She cried for about an hour, until she finally fell asleep. I eased her onto the pillow as I got up. She fidgeted a little bit, but she didn't wake up. I covered he r with a blanket, turned out the light, and went to my room. Then, I did the only other thing I could think of. I called Castle.

…..

"Kate? It's one o'clock in the morning, are you ok? Are you hurt?"

"Castle, relax, I'm fine. But I need some help. With Sophie. Can you just...Can you please come over?"

"Of course, whatever you need. Do you need me to bring anything?"

"_**He really can be sweet sometimes.:**_

"No. Thank you."

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><p><strong>In the next few chapters you'll see that i've tried to slowly take out the self arguement, kind of like kate's coming to terms with herself. I still left in a little bit, but mostly becasue it's fun to write it that way. and to show that she still has confliction thoughts on certian issues...*ahem* Castle...Plus i think that everyone, at one point or another, has aruged with themselves...at least, i hope it's not just me.<strong>

**Also, i was going over it and realzied, at least in chpaters one and two, ii kind of failed at the underling kate's thoughts thing. i was gonna fix it, but then i realized that it's kind of insignificaant, as you can still tell kate's arguing with herself.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Review? Pretty please? I'll give you a cookie.**


	4. Help

**NOt much to say here. All disclain=mers are still in effect...other than that...Enjoy chapter four, my lovelies.**

**(yeah, this one is pretty short. so is the next one. I apologize for that. I had gotten sever writers block about halfway through this chapter, so i was just happy that i could actually think of an ending for it. same with the next chapter)**

* * *

><p>I got a text from Castle, fifteen minutes later, letting me know he was at the door. He must have hurried, because it usually takes him twenty minutes.<p>

"Hey Castle. That was fast."

"I know. Impressed?"

"A little."

He smiled like a kid in a candy store, and held up a bottle.

"I brought wine."

I smiled at him, brighter than I normally do, and he smiled just as brightly as he walked in and grabbed two wine glasses.

"So I have a little problem."

He looked up from pouring the wine, prompting me to continue.

"Sophie should have the bed, but she fell asleep on the couch, and I can't move her."

"Ah, the old "child needs to be in bed but fell asleep somewhere else" dilemma. I'll take care of it."

He added a smirk and a wink, and then walked over to the couch. He slid one arm under Sophie's knees, the other under her shoulders, and effortlessly carried her to my bed. I watched as he gently set her down and tucked her in. I watched him as he walked back out to the kitchen, a small smile across my face.

"What? Do I have bed head?"

"No."

It was a simple and quiet response. It was all that was needed.

"What is it then?"

"I've always know you were a father, Castle, but sometimes I forget that you're more than that. You're a dad. It's sweet."

He was beaming because I called him sweet. But it really was. It was refreshing to see him acting so fatherly.

"You know what else is sweet?"

"What is it, Castle?"

"The Chocolate that I bought with the wine."

"You brought chocolate?"

I tried sounding annoyed, or even angry, but I was sure he would catch it. I could tell by the look on his face that I was wrong, and I smirked.

"Gimme."

…..

We ate our chocolate and finished the wine before he reminded me why I had called in the first place.

"So, what was the problem you had earlier?"

"Sophie. I don't know what to do about her. She can't go home. Both of her parents died. And even if they were still alive, her father abused her so she couldn't go back anyways."

"She was abused? That's horrible. I can't imagine any father wanting to hit his child. How long?"

"Since she was seven. I'm really lost here, Rick. I don't know what to do."

"Do what you have to."

"I'll call tomorrow."

There was a long, yet comfortable, silence between us before he spoke again.

"Have you talked to your dad yet?"

"Yeah, I called him while Sophie was in the shower. She's definitely my sister. My parents had to give her up because we didn't have enough money to raise her, it had all gone to my college fund. He said they hid it from me because they didn't want me to be upset when they gave her away. I guess that's why they suddenly changed their minds and let me go on the four month tour of Europe with my friend, considering she paid for the whole thing. I don't blame them, really. I understand where they were coming from. I just wish they had told me. I would've taken money from my college account so we could raise her. I always wanted a sister."

"I know you would have. Does he know about her adoptive father?"

"No. I don't really want him to, either. He would just blame himself."

Sometime during our conversation, Castle and I ended up sitting very close to each other. VERY close. We didn't notice. We were too involved in our conversation, not to mention a little buzzed. We kept talking for a while, but then I realized that I hadn't thanked Castle for his help.

"Hey, Rick?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you. For helping me with this."

"Always."

Pretty soon, we fell asleep, unaware of our current position. I was sideways, my back against the back of the couch, partially on Castle, who was laying on his back with his arm around my shoulder. My left arm was draped over his stomach, and my head on his chest, and his cheek was pressed against the top of my head. We slept the rest of the night.

….

The next morning, we woke with a start to the sound of Sophie's voice. She didn't say much, but it was enough to snap us out of that sleepy state and into the world of the living.

"And you expect me to believe he's not your boyfriend?"

We sat up, and tried to explain, but she wouldn't hear it.

"I'm gonna take a shower. Oh, and by the way, don't try to deny this. It won't work. I took pictures."

She giggled like an eight year old and took off toward the bathroom. I looked over to see Castl looking at me, smiling, almost laughing at what just happened.

"Wow, she really is your sister!"

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><p><strong>OK, yes, i really need to work on the creativitycleverness of the name of the problem about having to move a seleeping kid from on place to another. im sorry abpout that.**

**If you happened to read my other story, you'll know that i think that reviews are like unicorns: Magical things that bring me joy.**

**I stand by that statement 100%**

**So, please, Click the little button, you know the one, and leave me a unicorn. **

**Thanks guys!**


	5. Meet Alexis

**This Chpater came to me while i eas eating a brownie last night. It was very exciting becasue i hadn't had any ideas for awhile.**

**that being said, yes itts another short one. sorry :( hopefully the next one will be better.**

**(Plain italics are either stressed words, or in one case, what was telepathically said between Castle and Beckett. Plain underline is castle and Beckett talking at the same time.)**

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><p>"Castle, I just don't think this is the right time..."<p>

"When else then? A year from now? Two years?"

"You know what I mean."

"I could cheer her up..."

"But I just don't-"

"**Kate.**"

"**Rick.**"

"Kate."

"...Fine. But not until-"

"What's with all the whispering?"

Sophie walked in, cutting off our...discussion. She had changed into one of my older outfits; an NYPD t-shirt and some old sweatpants. Castle and I hadn't bothered moving from the couch since Sophie got in the shower. We were whispering, hoping she wouldn't hear us,but that obviously didn't work.

"Oh, Rick_—_uh, _Castle_ and I were just talking about...um-"

"How you...need to meet Alexis! My daughter!"

I looked at Rick, completely confused, but all he did was wink and whisper: "We'll talk later." So I played along.

"Yes! Alexis. She's great. You'll love her."

"So? What do you say? Wanna meet the other Castle?"

"Uh, yeah! Sounds great! When?"

Castle and I exchanged a series of glances, words not needed.

"_When? Castle I have to work! Why did you have to bring this up TODAY?"_

"_Seemed like a good idea at the time.."_

"_Ugh. Is Alexis doing anything today?"_

"_Nope."_

"_So now?"_

"_Now."_

"How about now?"

…..

Castle left after breakfast so he would have time to fill Alexis in on this whole situation. We were going to meet them for lunch before I had to go in to work. The only problem was that all I had that fit Sophie were my old, ratty clothes that I had since high school.

"I know you said that you two aren't together, but he really loves you. I can see it in his eyes. He really cares."

"_**The girl's observant, there's no denying that..."**_

"Ugh, Kate, nothing fits. I have nothing to wear."

"Well, you _could_ wear sweats..."

"Kaaa-aaateeeeeee!"

"Fine, you win, I'll take you shopping."

"Yay!"

"_**There it is. The sixteen year old is showing."**_

"_**Yeah, so's the six year old..."**_

"_**But at least she's acting like a normal teenager."**_

"_**Yeah, I just hope it lasts."**_

…..

"_**What is that beeping? Make it go away."**_

"_**Oh, right, a text from Castle. 'Called social services for you. They'll b at the station at noon 2moro. Dnt worry, I chkd ur schedule. C u l8r =**_**D****_' Oh no. I forgot about that. Ugh, this sucks!"_**

…..

I took Sophie to about seven different stores before she found everything she needed...and some things she didn't. She picked out five or six t-shirts, two pairs of jeans, and three pairs of shorts. She also got four pairs of shoes. It got expensive pretty quick, but Castle had given me $500 to use to buy clothes for Sophie that actually fit. I promised to pay him back, but he wouldn't have it. He handed me the money and ran out before I could protest anymore. The 500 covered most of it, but I could afford to pay the rest. By the time we were done shopping it was barely 11:00. We had some time to kill.

"We have about an hour until we're meeting Castle for lunch, is there anything you want to do until then?"

"Can we get some coffee?"

"Yeah, of course."

We went to the coffee shop down the street from my loft, and sat silently for a few minutes while we enjoyed our drinks. We still had about half an hour until we had to be at the diner, and it would take at least twenty minutes to get there, so we got the rest of our drinks to go. When we got to Remy's, I was surprised to see Castle and Alexis already there, waiting. I was going to ask why they were so early, but Alexis spotted me first and ran over to give me a hug.

"Detective Beckett! You're here! Oh, you must be Sophie! It's so great to meet you! I'm Alexis by the way."

"Hey. So what is this place anyways?"

"You've never been to Remy's? I thought you had lived in New York?"

Alexis was in disbelief. The look on her face was actually quite comical.

"I did, But only until I was seven."

"Oh, that makes sense now. Remy's didn't open until I was nine. You'll love it. The have the BEST burgers and shakes. Like ever."

"Mmm I haven't had a burger in FOREVER."

"OHMYGOSH. Is that a 'Firefly' shirt? I LOVE that show!"

"Me too! I used to watch it whenever I got the chance!"

"Dad? We're gonna go for a walk, I wanna show Sophie around. Text me when you order ok? Love you!"

Alexis kissed her dad on the cheek and led Sophie outside, still talking about that T.V. Show they both love. I was glad to see that they were already getting along so well. Sophie could use someone her age to talk to.

"You've been quiet, Castle. Everything ok?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. I was just thinking."

"You weren't thinking that 'I look cute when I chew' again, were you?"

"No matter how true that may be, no I was not. I do think about things other than you, you know."

"Hm. Could've fooled me."

"I was just thinking about what an amazing daughter I have. I don't know where she learned to be so perfect."

"I do..."

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"I said 'Me either.'"

We sat there talking, bantering, and yes, kind of flirting a little, until the waitress came and took our order, when Castle messaged Alexis to come back. Alexis and Sophie walked in the door just as our food was set at the table. Castle and I were already sitting next to each other, so Alexis sat across from her dad, and Sophie across from me. The four of us carried out a a casual conversation, until somehow we got on the topic of dating.

"Ok. Alexis, look at these two, and tell me they don't belong together."

"Oh didn't they tell you that-"

Before Alexis finished her sentence, Castle start choking on his food, but I would have sworn he said "No" in between coughs.

"You ok dad?"

"Yeah. Fine. Carry on."

"Didn't they tell you that they _aren't allowed to date_ because they work together?"

"_**Hehehe, I taught her that...how to read body language that is."**_

"Seriously? That's messed up! So, _hypothetically_, if these two _hypothetical _people are completely, obviously, head over heels for each other, they can't be together?"

"Well, actually," Rick said, "They just can't get caught."

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><p><strong>So, as you may or may not have figured out, Castle and Beckett are up to something. but what? Stay tuned to find out!<strong>

**This is all i have so far, so it mught be a few days before i update it.**

**What'd you think?**

OK I promise im working on another chapter! ive been really busy lately and havent gotten a chance to finish it! but i promise its coming! sorry guys.


	6. Breakdown

**Ok, first off, I am SO sorry I've been MIA. I've been SUPER busy with school latey and haven't had a chance to type up my chapters. I hope you still love me :)**

**Second: I obviously still don't own Castle. If i did, this fic would SO be an episode.**

**Third: Enjoy!**

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><p>After we finished eating, Alexis decided to take Sophie to see a movie, leaving Castle and me alone. Again. I was beginning to think she's doing that on purpose. Whenever I'm around, Alexis thinks up an excuse to leave for a while. I know because one time she couldn't think of a proper excuse, so she simply stated "I'm gonna go. I can't think of why other than to leave you alone, so...bye." A few months ago, she wouldn't have done that. In fact, she would come up with reasons why <em>I<em> needed to leave. It turns out she had been kind of upset that her dad was basically willing to die to save my life. About a month ago, she began warming up to me again, around the time I helped save Rick and Martha from those bank robbers. I was pulled from my musings when I felt Rick shake my shoulder.

"Everything ok?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry. I was just thinking."

"What were you thinking about? You looked worried."

Of course at that point Rick was probably more worried than I had been, judging by the look on his face.

"Yeah...I was, uh, thinking about the bank..."

Now he was _definitely_ worried. We hadn't mentioned that little fiasco since it happened...too many dark thoughts.

"You mean...?"

"Yeah, that one."

"What brought that on?

"I'm not sure...Can we just go home please?"

"Of course."

…...

We got back to the loft, which we had to ourselves since Alexis and Sophie were still gone. Martha of course, being Martha, was at some cast party and there was no telling when she would be back. I sat on the couch while he went to the kitchen and poured us some wine. When he came back, he sat next to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, pulling me close before asking "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Yeah..."

"Where do you want to start?"

"...I don't wanna talk about it..."

Surprisingly, his only response was "Okay." Nothing about how I was contradicting myself or how talking might make me feel better, just "Okay." He really did know when he could push and when to leave it alone. He knew I would tell him when I was ready.

We sat there in silence for what felt like hours, just enjoying each others company. I had rested my head on his chest long ago, listening to his heart beating. It was probably the most beautiful sound I had heard in a long time. A heartbeat. _His_ heartbeat.

"I almost lost you," I whispered softly, holding back the tears that

were demanding to escape.

"What?"

"In the bank. I almost lost you."

"I know. But you didn't. I'm right here; I'm not going anywhere."

"It was too close. He was two seconds away from pulling the trigger."

"Yeah, but he-"

"No. You almost died, Rick. Not to mention your mother, and then poor Alexis was terrified...If I had lost either of you...I just don't know what I would do...Martha has been so amazing, so motherly towards me. And then, obviously, there's you, and us, and I just-"

"Kate. It's ok. We're safe now, and it's because of you."

"If it weren't for me, he wouldn't have wanted to kill you first."

"If it weren't for you, I'd be dead."

I don't know when, but at some point during our conversation I finally broke down. I couldn't control the emotions that were flooding over me. Then again, when it came to Castle, I never really could...

"Don't cry, Katie. I'm right here. Safe and sound. Have been for months, so why are you suddenly upset now?"

"Because I need you! Before we met, I was a mess. I hated everyone and everything. I was bringing everyone else down too. Then you came along and_ made me_ have fun. You took away some of the stress." I knew it sounded selfish, but I couldn't bring myself to care. He wanted the truth, so that's what he got.

"I already know that. You told me last year. Not in so many words though. So what's the real reason?"

"You almost died."

"Yes, we've established that."

"Rick!"

"Sorry, please continue."

"That day, when I went in as a medic and held your hand..."

"That was a nice touch by the way, telling me Alexis was there."

"I thought...I thought that would be the last time I would ever see you. I tried to tell you..."

"But you did tell me, you said Alexis-"

"Rick just shut up for a second! I was trying to tell you how much I love you!"

He froze. I froze. He was obviously in shock, and to be honest so was I. We had been together—in a more than platonic way-(way more than platonic) since the bank incedent, but neither of us had even mentioned the "L" word. I didn't mean to blurt it out like that, but he just kept interrupting me and I was tired of waiting. I looked back at him slowly, terrified of what I would see on his face. But he was smiling, beaming even. He was...radiant.

"Does this mean we can tell Sophie now?"

"_What?_"

My response was short and a bit snappy, confusion written all over my face.

"I just tell you I love you and _that_ is the response I get? Seriously?"

"Well I just figured you wouldn't have a problem telling her. You know, now that you love me and all."

"Castle!"

"What? You know I've always loved you. I thought you knew. Well in case it's not clear enough, I'll say it again. I, Richard Castle, love you, Katherine Beckett."

"You...You've always loved me?"

"Since I first saw you at my book signing."

I didn't know he remembered that...

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I smirked. He knew to let it go for now. Knew that I still needed my secrets. But deep down...I think he knew the reason I was at the book signing in the first place. I think he's known all along.

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><p><strong>Sooo...what di you think? Love it? Hate it? Think it was kind of ok ish with subtle hints of awesome undertones? Think it should go die in the firey pits of hell? <strong>

**Well whichever it is, let me know! You know what to do ;)**

**(Oh by the way, I have a chapter and a half waiting to be typed, so hopefully I wont take like a year to update. Also, and you may hate me for this, or you may throw a party. Anyway, I've kind of lost my inspiration for this fic. For some reason my little muse fairies are whispering their awesome ideas to someone else. My point is: I'm going to finish the story, but it will probably be pretty quick here. maybe two or three more chapters, and i can't guarantee that they'll be any good, but I'll do my best.)**


	7. Seriously?

**Ok, this one is pretty short, and I can explain. But nows not the time...I'll explain at the end...pinky swear.**

**Disclaimer: *insert witty comment about how i DON'T own castle* *insert sad face***

**Also bold italics are kate's thoughts.**

**Ps- If the alignment is still ccenter in any of my next chapters, I apologize and will try to fix it. When I type, I align center because for some strange reason my brain works better that way, but I'll try to keep them to the left for you :)**

* * *

><p>I woke up on the couch, my head resting on Rick's chest, and his arm wrapped around me, his head on top of mine. I grabbed a pillow and slipped it on his shoulder in place of my head, trying to let him sleep as long as possible. Glancing at the clock, I realized that it was almost midnight, and Alexis and Sophie should be back soon, if they weren't already. As if on cue, the door opened and the girls stepped inside.<p>

"Oh, hey Kate! I didn't know you'd be home tonight...I mean here! Here tonight," she said frantically, trying to cover her slip, because she knew Sophie wasn't supposed to know.

"Hey girls, did you have fun?" I added a wink to Alexis, and she visibly relaxed.

"Yeah the movie was really good," Sophie was beaming, and Alexis cut in.

"I was just going to ask if Sophie could spend the night?"

She looked a little hesitant, like she would rather ask her dad, but she still sounded hopeful. Then she added the trademark Castle "puppy dog" look, and I knew better than to try to argue.

"As long as your dad agrees I don't have a problem...Of course given his current state I'm not so sure..."

"DAD! Wake up!"

She was practically yelling in his ear, shaking his shoulder violently. It took a few more seconds of shaking before he startled awake, his hair doing that adorable thing where it sticks out everywhere.

"Too early. Go away...oh. Hey sweetie! How was your night?"

His voice went from over exhausted to over excited in 0.3 seconds. He really was like a puppy...

"Good. Can Sophie spend the night?"

"Yeah of course. Sophie, did Kate tell you the news?"

"What news?" Alexis and Sophie exclaimed in unison.

Sophie looked excited, but Alexis looked nervous...and a little happy.

"That we- -"

"Will tell you tomorrow, right Castle?"

"Umm...yeah! You girls need to get to bed."

Alexis nodded and silently walked to the kitchen and slowly got three water bottles from the fridge, probably waiting for Sophie to go upstairs. Sophie, however, wouldn't go without a fight.

"Come on Kate! Please just tell me!"

"_**This is gonna take a while...better switch back to cop mode..."**_

"No, we will tell you first thing in the morning."

"Well...it IS 12:15...so technically it is morning and you have to tell me now, first thing."

"_**Oh. Valid argument..."**_

"You know what I mean."

"The suspense is gonna kill me."

"Not as quickly as sleep deprivation. Now go."

"_**Good. Stand your ground...don't falter..."**_

"Fine. Goodnight."

She was obviously irritated, but she would get over it. She walked up the stairs slowly, most likely hoping I would change my mind. I didn't. As soon as she was out of sight, Alexis came back from the kitchen, tossing a water bottle at her dad, who had fallen back asleep. She kept walking to me and handed me a bottle. Then she mumbled something about needing to talk to me, grabbed my elbow and led me toward Rick's office.

"Alexis is everything ok?"

"Kate...um...are you,"

she was practically whispering, anxiety written on her face.

"Am I what?"

"Are you pregnant?"

I choked. Literally. I was choking on the water I was trying to drink three seconds ago. That was...not what I expected to hear from her...I don't know what I expected, I just know that wasn't it. My mind was reeling. I couldn't manage to connect my brain and mouth.

"I-I—um...what?"

"Are you pregnant? You know, expecting? Bun in the oven? With child?"

"_**She should stop saying words now. Do I look pregnant? I've only gained two pounds...pregnant? I can't even begin to imagine that right now. Wait...I need to tell her that!"**_

I finally opened my mouth, ready to say "No. We just wanted to tell Sophie we're together. Do I...do I look pregnant?" Alexis looked at me expectantly, anxiously awaiting my answer.

"Yes."

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><p><strong>So this was SO not where I originally intended this story to go. I figured that based on the title everyone would assume I was talking about a baby, which i wasn't. Until about 5 minutes ago when I typed this. Apparently my little muse fairies decided they love me again, and this is what they said. It was supposed to end with both Sophie and Alexis going upstairs and then the rest of the chapter, which was actually going to be pretty long. Anyway first i thought "Alexis should assume kates having a baby, and then freak her and Rick out. Then as i was typing it instead of her answer being "No." it became "yes." I dont know why. Honestly, I don't like reading fics about little Castle babies. I think they're too predictable. So why would I write one? I'm still trying to figure that one out too. I guess I thought that it would be late enough in the fic for everyone to assume she ws preggo, thus making it unexpected. <strong>

**Also, and this will be more evident in the next ch, Kate didn't "know" she was pregnant. She considered the possibility, but dissmissed it. If that makes sense. If youv'e ever seen "I didn't know i was pregnant," you'll know what i mean.**

**Please review this chapter and let me know if you love or hate the baby idea. If too many people hate it, I'll switch it back to what I originally planned.**

**Ok, so what im gonna do about the baby thing: CHapter 8 will have baby stuff in it. Chapter 9 will be the same as chapter 8, minus the baby stuff and then I'll leave the baby out of hte rest of the story, and write an epilogue about it. That way, if you wanna read about the baby, you can read the epilogue after you finish the story, and if you're on the "no baby" side of the fence, then forget about the whole baby thing, skip chapter 8, and then read the rest, but not the epilogue. I will make more sense when it's finished, I promise.**

**(also any baby name suggestions are more than welcome) **


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